Guide for flexible well lines



Oct. 22, 1940. w JOHNSON 2,218,955

GUIDE FOR FLEXIBLE WELL LINES Original Filed Feb. 24, 1959 M/MN AQ/QLi Wow Attorneys Patented Oct. 22, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFlCE Divided and this application August 15. 1939, Serial No. 290,305

3 Claims. (Cl. 166 17) This invention appertains to new and 'useful improvements in guide means for lines such as cables and the like for lowering and lifting items in a well, the'same being a division of my co-pending application Serial-No. 258,318, filed February 24, 193$ for a Well flow heater.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a packed guide for flexible lines used in oil wells and the like whereby heaters and other apparatus can be raised or lowered in an oil well without losing the gas content of the well.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a guide of the character stated which will be positive acting and not susceptible to the ready development of defects.

These and various other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent to the reader of the following specification.

In the drawing:

. Figure 1 represents a vertical sectional view through the upper portion of a well and partly through the guide.

Figure 2 is a horizontal sectional view through the guide.

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view through the guide showing the type of pulley.

Referring to the drawing wherein like numerals designate like parts, it can be seen that numeral 5 represents the casing of a drilled well which rises above the ground surface 6 and has the control head 1.

Extending laterally from and preferably threaded into the upper portion of the casing 5 is the barrel 8 through which the conductor 9 can be fed when the heater unit generally referred to by numeral I0 is to be lowered or raised in respect to its position of use in the well. This heater unit forming the subject mat- 4 ter of my co-pending application Serial No. 258,- 318 filed February 24, 1939.

The feed barrel and associated means is clearly shown in Figure 2 and a modification is shown in Figure 3.

45 As shown in Figure 2, brackets ll-|l are suitably secured in the barrel 8 and have their free end portions projecting beyond the inner end of the barrel to support a pulley l2 over which the conductor 9 is trained.

50 The outer end of the tube 8 is threaded to accommodate the cap l3 which has a threaded opening therein for receiving the plug H, the outer portion of which is enlarged to form a threaded recess for the packing nut IS. The

65 plug it and packing nut l5 are centrally bored to receive the conductor 9. Packing means It is interposed between the inner end of the packing nut or screw l5 in the plug it so that expansion thereof will, of course, prevent any leakage of gas to the outside atmosphere by way of 5 the barrel 8.

The conductor cable 9 is of a special insulated construction to withstand wear and tear in the well and to prevent any acid or the like from attacking the conductor element. 10

A modification of the feed means is shown in Figure 3, the only change being that instead of the pulley H, a roller i1 is employed on the cross pin l8 and this cross pin extends through the enlarged end portion I 9 of the barrel 8a, this 15 barrel being adapted to be positioned by being inserted through the opening in the casing 5 from the inside thereof. The portion of the barrel 8a adjacent the head I9 is threaded as at 20 to accommodate the washer 2| and the nut 20 22. In this form the packing gland generally referred to by numeral 23 is of the same construction as that shown in the form disclosed in Figure 2.

It can be seen that as sections of the tube 26 line are added, the heating unit I0 is lowered into the well and in this connection the packing gland shown in Figure 2 or in Figure 3. can be loosened sufficiently to permit free travel of the conductor! 9 therethrough, and after the 30 heater III has been properly positioned in the well, the nut I5 is tightened in place so that there can be no escape of gas.

While the foregoing specification sets forth the invention in specific terms, it is to be under- 36 stood that numerous changes in the shape, size and materials may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed hereinafter.

Having described the invention, what is claimed 40 as new is:

l. A device lowering means for oil wells including an oil well casing, a laterally disposed barrel at the upper end of the casing, a flexible line disposed through the barrel to depend into the well, and anti-frictional means at the inner end of the barrel over which the flexible line is trained and a packing gland at the outer end of the barrel through which the said line is disposed.

2. In combination an oil well casing having a head on the upper end thereof, a heater for disposition in the casing, an oil eduction tube disposed in the casing and extending through the head and having the heater mounted there- 5.

on, a barrel extending laterally from the casing and provided with a packing gland in the outer end thereof, a conductor cable extending from the heater and into the barrel and through the packing gland at the outer end of the barrel.

3. In combination an oil well casing having a head on the upper end thereof, a heater for disposition in the casing, an oil eduction tube 10 disposed in the casing and extending through the head and having the heater mounted thereon, a barrel extending laterally from the casing and provided with a packing gland in the outer end thereof, a conductor cable extending from the heater and into the barrel and through the packing gland at the outer end of the barrel and anti-frictional means for the conductor at the inner end 01' the said barrel. 

